Al Parker
The Other Side of Aspen'Al Parker', real name Drew Okun, (June 25, 1952 - August 17, 1992) was a gay American pornographic actor (porn star), producer, and director. He was born in Natick, MA, and died in San Francisco, CA of complications from AIDS. Aside from his films, Parker is best known in gay culture as an icon of the Castro Street Clone era, a time when gay men held the well-groomed, lean, mustached physique popular in San Franciso's Castro neighborhood as an ideal. Parker's career in gay film started when he was "discovered" by Rip Colt, founder of Colt Studios. Parker stood out among gay porn actors in the late 1970s and early 1980s because he was not only attractive and filmed well, but he also developed an honest interest in the production aspects of gay porn films. With his lover Steve Scott (born Richard Cole), Parker founded Surge Studios. As a producer and director, Parker helped gay porn move beyond the poorly shot seven-minute loop films that were popular in adult book stores and peep shows, and heled the gay side of the industry move toward larger budget "theme" features. The hallmarks of a Surge Studio films included well lit scenes, complex camera angles and slow motion "money shots" at the point of climax. 1984 would be Surge Studio's busiest and most profitable year with six films in production with one of them either starring in or producing or directing the effort. Parker and Scott had a very open relationship in which they frequently particpated in unsafe sex with numerous partners. Scott died first of AIDS in 1986, Parker was devastated. Following Scott's death Parker continued in the Adult film business, but it wasn't until after he was diagnosed with AIDS himself that Surge productions began including safe-sex as a focus. Parker also began a relationship with Canadian porn star Justin Cade, however the relationship soon failed because Cade (who practiced safe-sex exclusivly in his personal life and adult film career) felt that Parker's continued behavior of multiple sex partners particpating in unsafe practices was too self destructive. When told he would have to choose between his carnal desires and a relationship with Cade, the relationship ended. Parker was the subject of Roger Edmunson's biography Clone: The Life and Legacy of Al Parker Gay Superstar, in which Edmunson traced Parker's penchant for risky sex back to Parker's rape at age 15 at knife point. For a while after arriving in California, Parker was employed by Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion West as a butler. Al Parker was cremated and his ashes scattered to the sea at the celebrated nude section of San Gregorio Beach on Highway 1. Incomplete Videography * Overload (1992) * Better Than Ever (1989) * Best of Brentwood 1 (1987) * Turbo Charge (1987) * The Best of Colt: Part 4 (1986) * Daddies Plaything (1985) * Outrage (1984) :aka Christopher Rage's Outrage (USA) * Headtrips (1984) * One in a Billion (1984) * Rangers (1984) * Weekend Lockup (1983) * Games (1983) * The Other Side of Aspen (1983) * Flashbacks (1981) :aka Al Parker's Flashbacks (USA: complete title) * Al Parker Is Wanted (1980) * Inches (1979) The Best of Colt Films: Part 10 (1991) * Best of Buckshot (Compilations) Chute, Timberwolves * Heavy Equipment (1977) Construction Man #1 See also *List of gay porn stars External links * *Al Parker's entry in the Outcyclopedia *Review of a Clone: The Life and Legacy of Al Parker Parker, Al Parker, Al Parker, Al Parker, Al Parker, Al